Homestead [Paperback]

Jane Kirkpatrick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1997

Joining her husband in the fight to create a home out of a rugged stretch of sagebrush, rattlesnakes, and sand in eastern Oregon, Jane Kirkpatrick uneasily relinquishes the security of a professional career; the convenience of electricity, running water, and a phone line; and, perhaps most daunting, the pleasures of sporting a professional manicure. But the pull of the land is irresistible, and they dream of gathering their first harvest from a yet-to-be-planted vineyard.

Rather than the simple life they had envisioned, Jane and Jerry find themselves confronting flood and fire, government bureaucracies, and runaway calves, among other disheartening setbacks. Jane frequently questions the sanity of pioneering in this remote area, known as Starvation Point, and she fights against panic with each trip down the seven-mile, boulder-strewn, rut-carved “driveway” she calls “the reptile road,” which threatens to spill them into the ravine with every lurch of the truck.

But as she learns to navigate her new life, this novice rancher discovers that disappointment, isolation, and danger can’t compete with the generosity of their rural community, the strength of family bonds, and the faithfulness of the God who planted in their hearts the dream of carving a refuge out of an inhospitable land.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jane Kirkpatrick is the best-selling author of two nonfiction books and nine novels, including A Name of Her Own and the acclaimed Kinship and Courage series. Jane is a winner of the coveted Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center and National Cowboy Hall of Fame. A licensed clinical social worker as well as an inspirational retreat leader and speaker, she lives with her husband still on those 160 acres in eastern Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 284 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (May 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576731707
• ISBN-13: 978-1576731703
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #910,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

If you'd like more information about me, please come visit my website at www.jkbooks.com and click on my blog. My dog also has a blog and you can find out what it's like to be Bodacious Bo, too. A monthly newsletter called Story Sparks is my way of sharing books about authors I enjoy as well as commenting on life and love. You'll find out more about me than you probably ever wanted to know! You
One item not listed on my lists of books is my selection included in an anthology called "Crazy Woman Creek: Women Rewrite the American West" published by Houghton Mifflin I also have a piece in Storytellers II, a book published a few years ago by Multnomah Press and a few short selections in Daily Guideposts of a few years back. My first novella, "The Courting Quilt" is part of a collection that made the New York Times bestsellers this past September in a collection called Log Cabin Christmas. The rest of my writing, as they say, is history. Or it was until my first contemporary came out this fall. Called Barcelona Calling, it's the story of a writer who loses her way as she seeks fulfillment thinking she'll find it with fame. It's a laugh out loud book according to reviewers. I hope you'll enjoy it.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite, June 3, 2002

By 

Orice Klaas "Voracious reader" (Moro, OR USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Homestead (Paperback)

This was my favorite of Jane's many books. Jane's tale held me spellbound from beginning to end. I could hardly believe how much she and her husband lived through in order to establish a home in a very difficult environment. I felt like I lived the entire ordeal with them. Very worthwhile reading.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Homestead by Jane Kirkpatrick, August 24, 2001

By 

Gabby (Washougal, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Homestead (Paperback)

This is truly a "can't put it down" book. Jane's own story is deeply inspiring to anyone facing his or her own challenges. She writes with great humor and a deep faith in the power of the Almighty. Throughout the whole book the reader finds herself laughing and crying with Jane and cheering her on. Her descriptions of events are so vivid that the reader feels like it is taking place right here, right now. Jane has captured the spirit of the pioneer woman that she could have been if she had lived 100 years earlier.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read along for the 'Journey', January 17, 2001

By 

Jacqueline "NGMajMom" (Crocker, Missouri, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Homestead (Paperback)

I enjoyed reading this book so much. It was a journey that Mrs Kirkpatrick allowed us to go on with her. It was so much fun to read. I have always wondered why the pioneers of the 1800's would leave thier homes and family to go so far and into the unknown. I have come to learn that maybe it wasn't where they were going, but it was the journey of going somewhere new and living on faith. She will keep you laughing and entertained. I can still see her looking down to examine her nails, and Jerry must be much like Job with his patience and wisdom. If you are going to a place like that you definitly want a man like him along.